A Pair of Unlikely Heros
by PenguinForce
Summary: How could an innocent boy sheltered away from the true horrors of the world possibly accomplish the task of saving the world? Could a rancher's daughter really amount to more than just a cute girl? A rewrite of Ocarina of Time but with a twist. Malon will accompany Link on this epic journey! The Prequel to my other story, Again, which is also in progress.
1. Prologue: The War for Hyrule

**Hello Everybody! This will not be your typical Ocarina of Time novelization as Malon will be joining our hero through most of his journey. I am going to start off every chapter with a quote relevant to each section and sorry about how short this chapter is. It is the prologue anyways and those are usually short but all my other chapters will be much longer and in my opinion, way more action packed. Thanks and most importantly, enjoy!**

**Prologue- The War for Hyrule**

* * *

"Only the dead have seen the end of war."

― Plato

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"Go! Get out of here!"

He yelled at her as the red horse neighed and bucked its front legs into the air. He grabbed his spear and protruded it into another man approaching him with an ax.

"Take him far away. To the forest! He shall be safe there."

The woman, with a child huddled in the many blankets wrapping around him, teared up, knowing only the worst would happen to her husband. She wiped her eyes, turned her head and the second the man looked back to see his wife and child, they had disappeared into the pouring rain.

She rode over the prairie land, what would soon be called Hyrule Field, not taking a second glance back. She rode over the bloodbath which now littered the field, through the hammering rain, under the crescent moon and soon, under the cloud covered sun. She rode for two days and hadn't stopped for anything. By now her husband had gone.

On the eve of her third day of riding, the rolling hills soon gave way to a few trees at first, turning into a forest. The horse steadied its pace as it trotted carefully through the ever growing number of trees.

The sun's rays were lost to the leaves and branches of the quiet forest but she still journeyed on. Further, until eventually, she came to a small clearing where a large oak stood proudly in the center.

With her injuries she had acquired from the battles, she knew she had little time left. The horse came to an abrupt stop, not daring to proceed any further. She dismounted her horse and as soon as her feet touched the ground, it ran into the trees, disappearing from view.

With her child sound asleep in her arms, she limped to the trunk of the tree, a long path of blood following her. She limped until finally running out of energy, collapsing at the base of the tree.

She smiled at her child as tears came rolling down her cheek. "I have failed you and I am sorry." She took a few big breaths and with the little life in her, "I entrust you to the Forest Spirits. May Din and her sisters shine down on you," she said to her baby.

The life slowly left her in the clearing in the forest, under the mighty oak that stood above her. And as the blackness surrounded her, she saw a girl picking up and taking her child away.

The mother of the Child of Destiny and the Hero of Time, had taken her last breath.

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**Author's note: **I have seen the numbers and notice people turn away after the first chapter but I urge you to keep reading. Here is a general outline for the beginning of this story. The next two chapters are my take on Link's life in Kokiri Forest and the Deku Tree dungeon and boss. Malon will not physically appear until chapter three and they won't meet until chapter four. Chapter four is when Link meets Malon in the Market. then, their journey together begins. please continue on to the desired section and most importantly, please have fun and enjoy your time while reading!


	2. The Boy Without a Fairy

**Malon will come in next chapter so sorry for all of you anticipating her arrival! Enjoy anyhow!**

**The Boy Without a Fairy**

* * *

"I'm always astonished by a forest. It makes me realize that the fantasy of nature is much larger than my own fantasy. I still have things to learn."

-Gunter Grass

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_In the vast, deep forest of Hyrule, long have I served as the guardian spirit. I am known as the Deku Tree. The children of the forest, the Kokiri, live here with me. Each Kokiri has his or her own guardian fairy. However, there is one boy who does not have a fairy..._

Link stomped into his tree house infuriated.

"Link you cant do that. You don't have a fairy. Link, go away. Only people with fairies can play here." Link said while mocking Mido's voice and facial expressions.

He ran up and kicked open a pot in his room, shattering it and making several pieces scatter throughout the room. He knew he would have to clean it up but right now, all he could think about was Mido.

Link sat down on his bed, grabbed his pillow and punched it.

"Mido always says that I am not a Kokiri. Sure I don't have a fairy but still, I was born in the forest and I have never left it all my life. I am as much Kokiri as Mido is a piece of…" Link trailed off in his thoughts and slowly dozed off into a peaceful sleep.

However, his dreams gave him no comfort.

* * *

Link slowly approached a castle he had never been to before but he felt as if he had been there a hundred times. As he approached it, he noticed that the drawbridge was up and a big, smoky cloud hovered above the area behind its walls. He noticed the green fields surrounding the castle and he knew it was daytime yet the clouds were so dense that the sun's light could not break through, causing it to be an eerie sort of darkness. The weirdest part of the whole dream was that Link had a fairy companion floating beside him!

He continued to venture towards the front gates but the sound of the drawbridge lowering caused him to stop his approach immediately. He tried looking through the front gates but the smoke was too dense to see beyond. He slowly started walking into the castle but the sound of horse hooves cluttering with the cobblestone made him stop dead in his tracks. Out of nowhere, a white horse galloped out of the smoke and was heading straight for Link. He was barely able to jump out of the way and looked at the riders as soon as he gained his balance back. He saw a princess who Link had never met but somehow, he felt as if he had known her his whole life. She threw something at him but he never saw what the object was or where it landed. He searched the ground to find the item but when he looked up, the white horse had disappeared into the horizon and a black horse filled its spot. Link slowly drew his eyes up to the rider and just as he approached his face, the scene disappeared.

* * *

Link jolted upwards in his bed, now fully awake. That man. He could feel that man's aura but how? He had never even met this beast who had been haunting his dreams for the past months.

Link washed this dream out of his head and took a peak outside of his window. What was a nice, warm, mid-summers afternoon had turned into a light misting in the middle of the night. He stared at the darkness outside his small home, wondering if that man really existed or where that majestic castle he had seen in his dreams laid. But most of all, where that girl on the horse was right now.

Link stared up at the stars and the galaxies above. They had always made him wonder about the world he knew. The universe was huge, there had to be more than the small clearing of houses and the surrounding forests out there. He continued staring at the stars, like a little kid would at a really big loli pop. A twinkle in the corner of his eyes caught his attention and barely moving his eyes over; he saw a star shoot across the sky, illuminating the entire Kokiri Village. Link was never the one to believe in such foolish, childlike concepts but after the beating Mido had delivered to him earlier, the star appeared as his only ray of hope.

He closed his eyes and tilted his head up, all the while muttering in a hushed voice, "I wish I could get a fairy. Then, my life can really begin."

He opened his eyes and stared at the starry night. The star had disappeared and so did the hope Link held in his heart.

He turned his head and started heading back to bed, as no doubt it was past midnight already, when suddenly, a small rock crashed onto the floor of his house, creating a large thud sound on the wooden floor of his small adobe.

He rushed to pick up the rock, then to his window to see who had committed such an act at this hour. He poked his small head outside of his window but to no avail, he could not find the person responsible. He pecked his head back into the house and studied the rock. Suddenly, his spirits had lifted.

Tied to the rock was a leaf with deku sap writing on it.

_Link,_

_Sorry to bother you at such a late hour but it is urgent. Meet me at the entrance to the Lost Woods._

_-Saria_

_PS- sorry if I scared you!_

Link pulled his boots on and bolted out his door, carrying only his tunic and nothing else. The air had become chilly and the constant misting being delivered to the forest made each footstep a sopping, splashy sound. He proceeded down the ladder of his house and up the small incline to the main path through the quiet village. He turned left but he suddenly felt his stomach drop as soon as the sight in front of him hit him.

Mido's house. He would have to cross Mido's house to get to the Lost Woods. But it was late, Mido would be sleeping now, right?

WRONG

"Hey Link, where do you think you're going?"

Link gave no reply and kept walking, trying his best to ignore the "leader" of the Kokiri.

Mido's malicious, bullying grin spread wide across his face. "So, you thinking of going to the forest tonight, huh? Well, you can't. The Great Deku Tree said so."

Link tried not to even acknowledge Mido's presence and kept walking.

This made Mido's cruel smile spread even wider. "Hey, Mr. No Fairy. Look at me when im talking to you." Mido intercepted Link's path making him stop, mid-stride. Link cowered under Mido's presence.

"Maybe this'll teach you a lesson ya outcast."

Mido curled his hands into a fist and before Link could comprehend the predicament he was in, Mido's hand hit him square in the nose, making Link stumble back and on to the ground. Mido snarled and gave an evil laugh as Link put his hand up to his nose, feeling the blood rushing down his finger.

"Whatcha gonna do about it, cry to your fairy? Oh wait, that's right. YOU DON'T HAVE A FAIRY!" Mido said while erupting in a wicked laugh.

This was Link's last straw. Mido had bullied Link for the last time. Because of him, most of the Kokiri thought Link was a joke, an accident in the forest, but Link was going to show Mido just how wrong that thought was.

Mido barely twisted his head but it was all the time Link needed for him to swing his legs at Mido's ankles, causing him to lose his balance and stumble to the ground. Link hurled himself onto the boy, pinning him down in the mud on the forest floor. Link curled his fingers and launched three punches onto Mido's left cheek, causing blood to spew out onto Link's face and his fist. Mido's left side face was dyed in blood and it left him totally powerless.

Link was moving in for a fourth one when suddenly, Link snapped out of his rage and stumbled backwards onto his feet, staring at his hands. He had never done that to anybody or had ever felt the strength he had shown in the quarrel before. What had come over him?

Link took a quick glance away from his hands towards Mido and started into a mad dash towards the vines and cliffs that lead to the Lost Woods.

He slowly climbed the vines, staining them in the blood that littered his hands. Link quickly got to his feet and ran up the small twisting incline to the Lost Woods. At the head of the entrance stood a green haired girl who was no taller than Link. She was dressed in the usual Kokiri green tunic and was sitting on a stone with an eye carved into it.

She had her head in her hands and doodling in the ground with her feet, making the slightly muddy ground form into random figures of what ever she saw in her mind. She took her gaze off of the ground and stared at the path that lead to the Lost Woods. Slowly, through the misty night, a shadowy figure came running at her. The closer it got, the wider her smile became.

"Link! Over here!" Saria shouted at him.

Link slowly walked up to Saria, making her give out a huge gasp.

"Link! What happened? You're covered in blood!" She exclaimed while examining Link head to toe to see where all he was hurt.

"It was Mido." Link said barely audible in the misty night.

"Oh that good for nothing piece of Deku Seeds. Why does he always try and act tough around me and why is he always so rude to you? I'll be having a talk with him for sure… Anyways, Link, follow me real fast and I'll get you all cleaned up."

Saria took Link by the hand and together, they entered through the hollowed out log stump into the Lost Woods. They went hand in handover the various logs that littered the forest floor and intertwined their way through the dense woods, dancing their way through until they came upon a small pond.

"Sit down." She exclaimed in a stern, yet caring tone. She grabbed a large leaf nearby, barely sunk it beneath the water level, and started to gently rub off the blood from his face and hands.

"I tried to just walk past him but you know Mido," Link chuckled, "He had to get in my way as usual." Link paused and looked at Saria who was just listening while cleaning Link up. "But Saria, this time was different. Usually, he beats me to a pulp but something happened this time. Something I can't explain. I fought back but not with little force, I punched him to the point where if I had thrown another at him, he would've passed out!"

Saria gasped slightly and paused her cleaning, but went right back at it, acting as if nothing happened.

"What's wrong Saria?"

"Oh nothing, Link, why?"

"Well you just stared out into the forest for a good five seconds, did you see something?"

Saria bit her lip, "Oh it's nothing Link…So, now that you no longer look like you walked out of a battle field, I have something to show you." She bolted to her feet, "Stay with me if you can." She said while laughing and starting her sprint back into the thick forest.

Surprised, Link bolted upright and started chasing after her.

"Wait, Saria wait!" Link said while trying to keep up with her.

They ran, and ran, and ran, over logs, over tree stumps, jumped over small stumps, over small boulders, until Link reached an opening, letting the moonlight hit his face as he walked out from under the trees.

"Saria?" Link said in a hushed whisper, sounding as frightened a small child. "Saria, where are you?"

Link looked all around for a hint of Saria, but neither hind nor hair of Saria could he find. He stumbled forward and saw tall hedges jetting out from the ground. There was an iron gate, something Link had never seen before, but instead of being closed, locking out the strangers who might crawl in, it stood jarred open, inviting anyone in. Link put his hand on the gate and felt the cold, wet surface of it, when he heard something. A song, a tune he had heard countless number of times, over and over again. It was the song Saria had played for Link since he could remember.

He followed the path where the song had come from, winding around the hedges and small pool of waters that had developed from the misting the forest was receiving. When he made it around all the hedges, he came to a path where the steps led upwards, into the misty background. The song still flowed from that direction so without even a second of hesitation, he ran up those stair, ascending at a very impressive pace for such a small child.

He reached the top, out of breath, but with a very warming sight. Saria sat on a small tree stump playing her ocarina, swinging her legs, nodding her head side to side. She sat directly under something that was definitely not a Kokiri structure. It looked like a building but the architecture looked nothing like that of which one could find in Kokiri Village. There was a broken staircase that led to the stone building and the tree stump that Saria sat on was directly underneath it.

She gave a quick glance up to Link to see his expressions and look of awe then looked back at her ocarina, smiling as she finished the last of her notes.

"Welcome Link, to the Sacred Forest Meadow. It's my secret place! I feel... This place will be very important for both of us someday. That's what I feel…" She looked at Link and smiled. "Hey, Link."

He looked at her and saw her reach behind her and grabed a small box made of bark.

"Happy birthday!"

She extended her hands out to Link, bearing the gift she had for him. He grabbed it from her and smiled as his hands slowly went towards the lid. He grabbed it with one hand and took it off, placing it gently on the ground next to him. He sat down on the ground and pushed the box to the front of him. He reached inside and grabbed out a small wooden shield, with a red logo on the front, the symbol of the Kokiri.

"I have been carving it for the last few months and I made it especially for you." She smiled as he looked at it and held it up. "Look Link, there's more!"

He placed the shield next to him and reached into the box and grabbed the next item, an ocarina, one identical to hers. He blew into it and it sounded just as smooth and crisp as the notes Saria played on her ocarina.

She smiled, "There's one more thing I have for you."

"Saria, you have already given so much to me. I don't need anything else."

She smiled at him, "Link, just please, take this." She handed him a small chest.

Link lifted the chest from her and placed it in front of him.

"I found this the first time I came here. And now, I feel that you need it Link."

He opened it and his eyes went wide. He grabbed it and looked at it.

"It's the legendary Kokiri Sword. Link, I have given so much to you this year, including this legendary blade, because… I feel like this may be our last year together. I feel like something dark is descending upon this land and I feel our distance may grow apart… but I want you to know Link, if anything ever does happen to you, I will always be there for you. I will always be your friend."

Link's eyes began to water and he lunged at her. They both embraced in a warm hug, in the middle of the misting Sarced Forest Meadow. After spending some time chasing each other and playing games in the meadow, Link placed his shield on his back, sheathed his sword, and placed the ocarina in his pack. The two slowly made their way back to the little village and parted ways to their own houses.

Link slowly ascended the ladder to his house, turned to look at the village, and breathed a big sigh. It was only two in the morning on his birthday, and it had already proved to be his best one yet. He turned and entered his small house. He placed his shield and sword (which was small enough to be considered a dagger or knife) and took out his ocarina. He blew a tune into it for a short while before finally, his drowsiness over took him and he fell into a deep slumber, and for once in a very long time, had a very pleasant dream.

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**Author's note: Be on the lookout for the next chapter and remember, your comments make this story better! Also, feel free to leave questions that you may have and I will be happy to answer them for you!**


	3. The Fairy, the Tree, and the Queen

**The Fairy, the Tree, and the Queen**

A friend is someone who can see the truth and pain in you even when you are fooling everyone else.

- Unknown

* * *

**Author's note:** the italics represent Navi communicating with Link through… well… I explain it a little.

* * *

**Kokiri Forest**

_Navi... Navi, where art thou? Come hither. Oh Navi, the fairy, listen to my words... The words of the Deku Tree... Dost thou sense it? The climate of evil is descending upon this realm. Malevolent forces even are now mustering at attack our land of Hyrule. For so long, the Kokiri Forest, the source of life, stood as a barrier, deterring outsiders and maintaining order of the world. But before this tremendous evil power, even my power is as nothing. It seems the time has come for the boy without a fairy to begin his journey. The youth whose destiny it is to lead Hyrule to the path of justice and truth. Navi, go now! Find our young friend and guide him to me. I do not have much time left. Fly, Navi, fly! The fate of the forest, nay, the world, depends upon thee!_

Navi gives a slight tilt of the head, but for being a ball of light is indistinguishable, and flies out of the small clearing, heading straight toward the small village in front of her.

**Lon Lon Ranch**

Just as the cucco crows, Malon opens the door and starts a mad dash toward the small corral situated in the center of the Ranch. Her fiery red hair waving behind her from the wind she is creating from running. She makes a turn into the corral and slows down as Malon closes the range between her and her best and only friend.

"Good morning Epona! Tee hee!" giving the horse her famous laugh. Epona creeps forward and puts her snout into Malon's face. "Epona… ha ha. Stop it!" Laughing all the while at the pony next to her. Epona finally lifts her face away from the small ten year old next to her and continues with the rigorous task she had been doing before Malon interrupted her, eating grass. Hey, who said horses had easy lives?

"And make sure to clean out the stables and wash the old jars. I need them all clean for the milk shipment tomorrow. I'll give you a few more rupees since you have to do a tiny bit extra today." He pats Ingo on the back who just gives a small, but irritated smile. Ingo grudges into the barn and closes the door behind him. "Now… where is that silly girl?" Talon searches the corral and through the morning haze was able to spot the child talking to Epona. Talon smiled but knew on the inside Malon deserved better than what he had given her this far. Life just hasn't been the same since she…

"Malon! Make sure you're ready! We are heading to the castle today and leaving in one hour!" he shouts.

"Oh, okay Pa!" Malon shouts back, not really paying attention as she was lost in her own imaginary world.

Talon turns around and enters the house to make sure the final preparations are ready for their small trip: the crates of milk, his permission slip to enter the castle, a pillow…

Outside, Malon, still talking to Epona, sits down and sighs.

"Epona, do you fell… different today?" the horse obviously doesn't answer back. "I don't know. Something just feels… odd, like something is going to happen today."

She frowns in contemplation, trying to figure out what that "thing" is.

Smiling, "oh well. I guess I'll just have to wait and find out."

Malon slips out a brush from her pack that she carries with her and slowly starts stroking the mane of the pony next to her, while quietly humming a song, a song that has made this little girl famous across Hyrule. She brushes the foal for a while only pausing when she sees something in the corner of her eye.

"I don't remember ever seeing that dark of clouds over the forest, do you Epona?"

Neigh (I don't know but keep brushing me, it feels good)

**Kokiri Forest**

After an extensive search for the soon to be hero's house, Navi the fairy finds the treehouse belonging to him.

"Finally, I would have given up if it wasn't this house." Navi mutters to herself. She takes in a big breath and enters the house. "Hello… Link! I'm Navi the fairy and…"

_SNOAR_

"Um, hello?" Navi prods the young boy in the stomach but resorts to just whacking her body repeatedly at the sleeping beauty in the bed. "Wake up! Link, wake up! The Great Deku Tree wants to talk to you! Link, get up! Hey, c'mon! Ugh… can Hyrule's destiny really depend on such a lazy boy?!" Navi continues to ram her small body into the boy until he finally shakes a little bit and gives out a big yawn.

"Alright Saria, I'm up. You can stop hitting me now." He mutters with his eyelids still shut.

"I'm not Saria! And if you could please just open your eyes and GET OUT OF BED!" Navi shouts in a very irritated fashion.

"Heh heh, your voice sounds funny today Saria. Did you drink too much Deku Juice last night?"

"Please just open your eyes!" Navi begs giving up on ramming herself into him.

"Fine, fine."

Link's eyes flutter peak open to see who is in his room.

"Oh, finally. Ahem… I'm Navi the fairy. The Great Deku Tree asked me to be your partner from now on. Nice to meet you!"

Now Link's eyes are wide.

_Did she just say she's my fairy?_

"Yes Link, I did just say that." Navi answers back.

"You can… read my mind?"

"Well, not really read it but… well… how do I explain this?... Well, its sort of like fairies have a special connection that allows them to communicate with their partner."

Link sits still, looking at the fairy, his fairy, in utter confusion.

"Oh never mind that. The Great Deku Tree asked me to tell you, he wants to see you."

Link grabs his pack and starts heading for the door when a glare of light hits him in the eye. He turns and sees the Kokiri Sword huddled next to his shield that Saria had given to him last night. Link smiles as he grabs it remembering the night he had last night with Saria. He couldn't think of anyone who would be able to replace such a wonderful friend like her.

Equipping his shield and sword, Link made way for the Deku Tree, not wanting him to wait for a single minute. After all, it was considered an honor to be specially invited to the Deku Tree.

Of course, any adventure Link ever went on in his village involved one person. Mido.

"Where do you think you're going Mr. No Fair- W-H-A-T?"

Mido glances at Navi who is hovering above Link.

"You have a FAIRY?!"

Link smirks as he gleefully watches the scene in front of him. It always gave Link great joy to see Mido ticked off.

"Well… I'm still not letting you pass. You have to have a sword and shield." Mido said while crossing his arms and tilting his head to the side.

"Uh, Mido. You may want to look again."

Mido opened one eye and there shining back at him was the Kokiri Sword in Link's hand. Mido quickly glanced around and saw the sword with the Kokiri mark on it.

"Where did you get that sword? Isn't that the legendary-"

"Yes it IS the Kokiri Sword and now Mido if you don't mind, Link needs to see the Deku Tree. Its urgent." Navi said, interrupting Mido mid-sentence.

"Well…" Mido bit his lip as he desperately tried to think of yet another delay for Link. "Before you pass, you have to… um… you have to… fight me!" Mido grabbed the deku stick sitting next to him and got in a fighting stance.

'_Link, just hurry and end this'_

Grabbing his sword, Link got into a fighting stance as he also reached for the shield on his back.

"No shields Link. Do this like a man!"

Link put his shield back onto his back and faced Mido with his sword in hand. Mido quickly brought down his deku stick but Link easily deflected it. Mido tried slashing it his sides but Link again easily deflected it making Mido stumble backwards.

"Now, its my turn." Link mumbled

Link swiped his sword at Mido's stick chopping the top of it off. They paused as they both realized that Mido's stick had no chance. Interrupting the pause, Link slashed his sword at the stick until Mido was left holding a tiny stub of wood in his hand. Mido's eyes just stared at the stubble in his hand, Link smirked. Now, for his final attack.

He raised the sword above his head with both hands.

"Any final words Mido?"

Mido, cowering under Link's presence just looked at him with big, scared eyes.

_Link, don't do it! Don't do it! _Navi shouted in Link's mind

Link brought down his sword, missing Mido just barely to the right. Mido stared at Link, surprised that he missed. Instead of panicking, Link only smirked, ramming his hip at full power into Mido, making him hit his head on the tree branch knocking Mido out cold.

"I wasn't really gonna kill him Navi. Just… scare him." He said as he let a little laugh escape him.

"Come on Link. The Great Deku Tree is waiting for you."

With Navi accompanying him, the two made their way through the forest and the many trees that interfered with their course until Link finally slowed his pace as the two came out from the shade of the trees and into a small clearing where a mighty oak stood proudly in the centered.

Navi left Link's side and flew up a few feet into the air.

"Great Deku Tree… We're here." Navi small voice piped out.

"_Oh... Navi... Thou hast returned... Link... Welcome... Listen carefully to what I, the Deku Tree, am about to tell thee... Thy slumber these past moons must have been restless, and full of nightmares... As the servants of evil gain strength, a vile climate pervades the land and causes nightmares to those sensitive to it... Verily, thou hast felt it... Link... The time has come to test thy courage... I have been cursed... I need you to break the curse with your wisdom and courage. Dost thou have courage enough to undertake this task?"_

Link only responded by grabbing his sword and shield, approaching the Deku Tree all the while.

"_Then Link, along with thy new companion, enter and face the evil… the evil that currently resides within me."_ Navi flew down to Link and the two slowly approached the tree, looking for a way to get in.

Finding a small hole big enough to climb through, Link and Navi left the outside world and entered the tree, hearing one last phrase escapethe Deku Tree.

"_May the Goddesses shine down on you_… young hero."

* * *

After crawling for what seemed like hours to Link, he crawled into an opening within the tree. He got to his feet and observed the inside of the Deku Tree with the minimal light that was provided.

Spider webs and small plants littered the floor, the walls, the ceiling… they were everywhere!

"Man, the Great Deku Tree could use a cleaning once in a while."

"Link! Don't talk like that about him."

"I know Navi… It's not his fault. I just hope I never have to go inside an animal. I mean if the inside of a tree is like this, imagine what the inside of… of… of a giant fish creature would be like!"

"I'd rather not Link. Anyways, let's get moving. Did the Deku Tree say what the thing is that's infesting his body?"

"By the looks of it, I would say a spider of some sort but aren't spiders only like this big?" Link asks while pinching his fingers together showing the size of the biggest spider he's seen in his life.

"That's what I thought too but I don't think a small spider only inches big could make a web as big as the ones in here. I mean if I ever… Look out!"

A giant spider looking thing sprang down inches from where Link was standing, and whirled itself in a circle trying to attack the surprised Link, who managed to take one step back, barely evading its attack.

"Okay Link, don't freak out. This is just your ordinary Skultula. Its weak spot is on its back. When it turns is your best chance to strike."

"Your meaning to tell me that this thing is dumb enough to just turn around and-"

He brought down his sword upon the creature's back and quickly pulled it out, causing purple gooey stuff to spurt out of the wound. The Skultula fell off the wall and shrieked in pain until it stopped moving.

"Yes Link, these creatures are not the most intelligent out there. Just hope that you don't have to encounter other types of monsters because these ones are nothing compared to some of the ones out there."

"Like what?" Link said as he began jogging up the spiral on the outside ring of the tree.

"Now's not the time Link. Let's just try to keep moving."

Jumping, climbing, running, Link did all of those in the next few minutes as he climbed the outer spiral on the walls of the Deku Tree. He also had a small battle in which he acquired the Fairy Slingshot.

"Navi, I don't know how to use this thing."

"Well, why didn't you read the little piece of paper in the chest that told you how to use it?

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because I didn't think it was important. I was too excited to use it that…"

"You didn't bother to know how to be able to."

"Okay Navi, you made your point. Now will you please tell me how to use this thing?" Link begged.

Navi crossed her arms and looked away but one glance at Link's face made her succumb to his demands.

"Fine Link I will but promise next time that you will listen to me on these types of things."

"Okay I promise, I promise. Now please show me how."

"As much as I would love to show you how to use this weapon, Link, I'm too tiny. But I'll be happy to explain it to you."

"Okay." Link choked out.

"You're lucky that I'm a fairy and know a lot about the world."

After a brief explanation, Link became a pro at shooting the deku seeds from his weapon and quickly cleaned off a wall of Skultulas. Satisfied with himself, Link put the weapon in his pouch. He walked over to a ledge that jutted out from the wall and extended to just about half way across the tree. Link peered down and saw the spider web that covered the hole into the chamber beneath the Deku Tree. Link backed up to the wall behind him then got into a running stance.

"Link… what are you doing?" A cautious Navi asked but there was no time to respond as Link began a sprint to the edge of the ledge.

He jumped off and aimed his small body at the spider web. Once he felt satisfied with his course of direction, he turned onto his back, sinking his behind down a little to cushion the impact. No sooner than two seconds later had he felt the spider web under him slow his fall down but just as he started to think the web would catapult him upwards, he heard a loud snap and felt the familiar feeling of free falling. Link tried to flop over to see where he would land but the crisp, cool pond sitting at the bottom of the tree answered his question.

"Oh my Goddesses! Link, are you okay?" Navi said, still perched at the small ledge at the top of the tree. She began a quick descent down, pausing briefly at where the web had snapped and continued down to the pool of water where a happy Link sat splashing the water, wading to a small embankment near him. Although relieved, she was furious at the ten year old. "Link! Don't you ever do that again! You scared me."

"Relax Navi. I knew what I was doing. You sound like Saria sometimes, always overprotective."

Calming down a bit, Navi breathed out, "Just tell me what you're going to do next time I ask. Okay Link?"

"Okay Navi… I will next time." Link got out of the water and stood up observing his surroundings. There were vines that led back up to the main room but there wasn't anything up there anymore that seemed important. There was a ledge next to the island he stood on but it would be too high to jump up to. His only option would be the spider web covered door across the room from him. "How am I ever going to clear those webs from over there."

"Well…" Navi flew to a small torch emitting a tiny flame from it. "Do you still have some of those deku sticks you found earlier?"

Link looked around then found just one. "I still have one, why?"

"If I am correct, spider webs can burn from contact with an open flame. So maybe you could light the end of the stick and jump across the water to light the web on fire."

"There's only one itsy bitsy problem with that plan. The gap between the two islands are two far for me to jump across."

Navi flew over to the water separating the two land masses and examined the area herself.

"Link, why don't you look again."

Link walked into the water but surprised was he seeing that he was half way across the gap and the water barely came to his ankles. However, one more step and the ledge disappeared causing Link to fall face first into the pond. Navi sat there laughing as Link came up from under the water.

"Ahhh, just when I was drying off. Anyways, that ledge, I could jump across from there."

Link climbed back onto the ledge and ran back to where he had laid down the deku stick and grasped it in his hands.

"Navi, fly to where the ledge ends so that I will know when to jump."

"You know Link, you're smart for your age."

Link smirked as he walked up to the torch burning the small flame.

"Ready Navi?"

"Ready when you are."

Link exposed the end of the stick to the small fire causing the stick to come aflame. Link immediately started running to where Navi was and jumped just as he approached her.

His feet hit the ground, off-balance. Link came pummeling down losing his grasp on the deku stick. Navi let out a small gasp as Link fell onto the ground but he didn't feel a thing. Link lifted his head to watch his only Deku stick roll away from him, as the flame began to die. But just when all hope was lost, the stick rolled into the web and the little flame left on the stick was just enough to ignite the entire web and burst into flames.

Link and Navi both let out a sigh of relief as the web burnt vibrantly. He got back up to his feet just as the last of the web burnt to ashes.

"You know, you sure know how to give someone a heart attack."

"I did it on purpose, duh."

Navi rolled her eyes, "Whatever, let's just keep moving."

Link walked through the door and taking only one step into the next room, the door slammed down with iron bars protecting it, making it impossible to leave the room.

"Uh, Navi? What do I do? Last time this happened, I had to clear out a room full of monsters but this time, all I see is… is a bush."

Link cautiously walked two steps forward but was stunned when the "bush" started shaking. Link paused to watch the action but let out a sigh of relief when a small tree stump looking head popped out of the ground. Link turned to Navi with a smile on his face.

"Its only a deku scrub; these things are- OUCH!"

Link swiveled his body around to see what had given him this sharp pain in his back.

"Its… its shooting deku seeds at me!"

Just then, the scrub launched another one at Link but this time, he was vigilant and quickly side stepped out of the way. Link made a mad dash for the plant like creature but right as he came within a few feet of the enemy, he burrowed back into the ground.

"Ugh, come out you dumb thing." Link said while trying to pull the bushy part of the creature out of the ground.

"Link, stop, its not going to work."

"What do you, ugh, mean its, nnn, not going to work?" Link said between his grunts of pulling on the creature.

"Deku Scrubs are defensive creatures who only come out when no one is within three feet of them. They only have one way of attacking which I'm sure you felt on your back earlier."

Link finally stopped struggling to listen. "So how do I kill this thing?"

"Try pitting its attack against itself."

"Really, Navi, a riddle? You cant just tell me straight out?"

"Well, where's the fun in that?"

Link backed up to about the spot he had first been pelted and like Navi said, the scrub popped back out of the ground. It again shot a deku seed at Link.

'Hmm, pit its attack on itself' Link thought.

Just as the seed was about to hit him, Link pulled out his sword and swung at it, only splitting it in half and causing the seed to fall to the ground.

"Well that didn't work."

It shot another one at Link but not really wanting to waste more energy than he had to, Link just propped his shield in front of him, sending the seed deflecting off his shield, missing the scrub by inches.

"That's what you meant Navi."

"Yes Link, but this time, hit the scrub with the seed."

"It looks easier than it is."

Link readied himself as he locked onto the creature with his shield pointing directly at him. The scrub launched another seed at Link with such force that when it bounced off of his shield, Link slid back a foot from the impact. The seed sailed through the air and knocked the scrub square in the head.

The scrub, stunned a tiny bit from the impact felt dizzy.

"Whoa, what happened." The scrub said. He glanced around the room a bit but let out a shriek when he saw the boy in green with his sword and shield out. He jumped out of the hole and tried jumping away from the two.

"Oh no you don't." Link said as he started chasing the scrub, sword ablaze.

Link got a few feet from him when the scrub shouted out, "Okay, you win, you win."

Link paused for a second as he pointed his sword at the scrub's trunk.

"Why should I let you go? You tried to kill me!"

"If you let me go, I'll tell you a secret for getting to the monster that lurks within the tree."

Link pondered on the idea then agreed.

"Fine, but first, answer my question. You Deku Scrubs have always been a peaceful kind in the forest but why did you try and go after me?"

"Oh, I… I remember now. Yes, we are a peaceful kind and have lived in the forest and withing the Great Deku Tree for generations! You have no idea of the land value of my house here in the Deku Tree. Deku Scrubs would pay a fortune for it! Anyways, a few days ago, an evil creature infested the tree and the soil in this land you call Hyrule. Her name is Queen Gohma. She brainwashed us scrubs and turned us into warriors to protect her. When you knocked me with the Deku seed, you snapped me out of the mental state I was in and freed me from her bonds."

"So then why did you try to run away from us?" Navi's high pitched voice asked.

"When I saw you standing there with your shield and sword, I thought you were going to try and kill me so I tried to flee."

"Oh… well, that makes sense."

"Anyways, I made a deal with you and I am a scrub of my word so listen carefully. You well never make it past my brother up ahead unless you know there weakness. Yes like me, they are scrubs so a shield to the seed ought to do it but unless you know the order to attack them with, your attacks will be useless. Listen to the order of which scrub to attack. T-w-o… t-h-r-e-e… o-n-e… twenty three is number one!"

Link just looked at the smiling scrub bewildered.

_What does that mean?_

_I don't know Link, beats me_

Link looked at his fairy companion forgetting her abilities to communicate with him.

"Now before I go, can I ask one favor of you?"

"Sure!" Link said

"There are hundreds of other scrubs who have been brainwashed to kill anyone not of our kind so if you don't mind, could you set them free just as you did with me? I know you won't find every single scrub out there but you would only be helping to resurrect Hyrule to the former peace loving land it used to be."

"I'll try my best Mr. Scrub but I am a Kokiri and I can't ever leave the forest but any that I see I will surely set free."

"Thank you…"

"Link. My name is Link."

"Well, thank you Link. Your legacy will live on in Deku Scrub history." With that, the Deku Scrub turned away and disappeared back into the ground.

Link, forgetting where he is for a minute remembers that the room had been locked but he looked at the door only to see that he could pass through again.

"Well Link, we should start moving again."

They passed through the next few rooms of no significant importance and found themselves back in the room with the pond except this time; they were on the ledge Link couldn't reach before. He noticed a block that he pushed off the ledge and now if he for any reason he fell off, he could just climb the block to get back onto the ledge.

"Navi, there is another spider web blocking the hole but this time, there isn't a ledge for me to jump off of."

"The torch we used for the web blocking the door is still lit so you could try lighting another stick and jumping up the block to the web here."

"Only one problem, I am all out of sticks."

Navi and Link searched the room with their eyes looking for an answer.

"You could try looking in those pots over there for one."

Smashing pots was a hobby for Link and in no time, he found some deku sticks.

"Alright Navi, let me go light this thing and hopefully I get it on the first try."

Link put the deku stick to the torch again and once it caught, Link leaped onto the block and rolled forward to the web. It caught immediately and Link found himself falling through the hole. He rolled forward just as he hit the ground and when he looked up, he saw three deku seeds pummeling in his direction.

BOOM!

Link fell backwards three feet as the seeds met his face.

"Link! Link! Are you alright?" Navi said as she fluttered down the hole after Link.

"Ugh... what was that? Link asked in a groggy voice.

"I think we are there Link. The place the Deku Scrub told us about with the three scrubs."

"What makes you say that?"

"Maybe if you looked up, you would see that there are in fact three deku scrubs here."

Link popped his head up and saw the three scrubs snickering at Link's pain. That made Link angry. He shot to his feet and immediately reached for his shield. The Deku Scrubs, astonished by Link's sudden energy increase launched the seeds at him.

There was no way Link would be able to tackle all three seeds at once so he sidestepped out of the way the three seeds. The first scrub was out of range which was exactly what Link wanted. The second scrub reloaded the fastest and shot off another seed at the boy in green and Link deflected it sending it soaring at the Deku Scrub in the middle.

"Okay the second one is down. Now what was it. Two One Three or…"

"Link, twenty three is number one!" Navi shouted.

And just in time too because the third scrub sent a seed at Link, who just in the knick of time brought his shield out deflecting the seed at the third scrub, paralyzing it. Now he had just one more. Link walked casually over to the last, or should I say first deku scrub and easily deflected the seed at him.

"Inconceivable! How did you know our secret? I am so mad that I am going to tell you the secret on how to defeat Queen Gohma."

Moments later, Link walked forward to the door that he would soon realize houses Queen Gohma.

"Well that sure was nice." Navi said. "Now we will know how to defeat Gohma easily."

"If only we could find her."

Link entered through the door and into a room that was eerily dark, yet just enough light to see the smoke covered floor.

Link slowly looked around the room, glancing in all directions.

"I don't see anything yet just have this weird feeling that I am being…"

"Watched?" Navi finished the sentence for Link.

" Yeah." Link paraded around the room but saw nothing. "I guess there is nothing here… Navi? Navi are you listening?"

Navi was too busy looking up.

"What are you looking- oh"

Link saw not a pair of eyes but just a single one eye looking back at him. But then what it did afterwards would give Link nightmares for a while. The eye did a roll backwards, then the eyelid closed.

"Navi what is-"

The creature dove down from the ceiling and got into its battle stance as it gave off a loud screech.

"Link it is the Parasitic Armored Arachnid, Queen Gohma!"

Link rolled backwards avoiding its initial attempt to scratch at Link.

"I thought arachnids were supposed to have eight legs!" Link shouted while trying to back up and analyze the situation.

"Well this one doesn't!"

Link side rolled to get out of the pincher threatening to attack him.

"Link, remember what the deku scrub said, its eye is its weak spot!" Navi said while frantically flying to keep up with the young boy.

Instead of running away, this time Link drew his sword and just as the pincher shot towards him, Link threw his sword down onto the pincher, triggering Queen Gohma's wild screeching in pain. Link took the opportunity of the creature's pain to advance towards its face, and did a jump attack at the eye.

The arachnid squealed and twisted its body around, thwarting Link with its tail.

Link slammed against the wall on the far side, losing track of Queen Gohma who made a hasty escape up the wall and into the looming darkness above. He crawled to his feet as the pain from impact on the wall coursed through his body. He groaned a bit and quickly became vigilant of his surroundings.

"Navi, where did she go?" Link shouted.

"Up here Link!" the fairy shouted as she stayed in relatively close proximity to the arachnid.

"Link, it looks as if she is having babies but-"

"Really? I don't think now is the time for that."

"Link, pay attention! Anyways, they are very weak so just use your sword on them."

Link did just that as waves of her babies came pouring down from the ceiling above. Purple blood splattered all over Link as he massacred thelittle gohmas. However, her highness did not think fondly of that and came towering down on top of Link. The force of the sudden weight on him strained his hand and made the sword scatter away from him.

Link knocked his sheild on the underside of the arachnid but she just sat there scratching the legs of the young boy.

"Navi, help me!"

The fairy flew at the eye of the already enraged creature and dug her nails into the monster's eye. The monster shrieked in pain as it stumbled sideways, giving Link just enough time to roll from under her to his sword. He picked it up and smirked.

"Thanks Navi… Now its my turn."

The monster turned to face Link but SMACK. Link shot a deku seed from his slingshot right into the eye of the creature. Gohma moved its pinchers to her eyes to try and suppress the pain but Link came in for his follow up attack. Link sliced at each pincher, chopping them off of the creature completely. Link jumped onto its back as it tried turning her body around and mounted her. Link grasped his word in both hands and jammed it into the creature's eye, purple blood splattering all over the floor and on Link. He gave a twist of the sword then pulled it out of the creature, only to plunge it back in. Each time, more blood spurred out of the wound until too much had left the body of the arachnid. It shook its body violently, sending Link flying off the back but he landed on his feet unharmed. The creature rammed into walls and shook malevolently until it collapsed in a pool of blood.

Link kneeled in the silence as he watched a green fire erupt in the body's ruins, burning it up until nothing was left. The fire extinguished itself and in its place was a heart container. Linked straightened up and walked towards the container.

"Link, this will make you stronger and allow you to take more damage. I advise you to take it."

Link picked up the object and it slowly melted into Link's skin until he stood holding nothing. Next to him, a blue circle appeared and when Link stepped into it, a small crystal formed around him. He felt his feet lift off of the ground and he rose up into the air.

One moment he was in the chamber where he had just fought Queen Gohma and the next, he was outside the Great Deku Tree, back in the forest. The crystal slowed as it descende to the ground. Link's feet barely touched the ground and it disappeared.

"_Well done Link_"

**Lon Lon Ranch**

"Are you ready to go honey?" Talon asked his ten year old daughter, Malon who came dancing up to the wagon.

"Yes Daddy."

"Well then, it's off to the castle for us."

Malon sat next to her father smiling and humming her usual tune. She watched as the wagon slowly pulled away from the ranch and just as it rounded the corner, a view of the forest appeared. Malon stopped humming and stared intently at the clouds surrounding the forest. They were still dark and ominous looking but she saw something strange. A light parted the clouds. She looked closer and gasped when she saw it.

A boy, descending down from the light that parted the sky.

* * *

**Author's note: **I promised Malon didn't I? I know, you all were expecting them to meet up but that will be in the next chapter. Anyhow, special shout out to those who have shown incredible support for this story and have taken the time to review and favorite it or follow it. An extra shout out to **Triforcegirl212**. You have given me incredible support through all of my LoZ stories (well, the two I have written so far) and also to **Yami no Nokutan**. I don't know if you've read this story yet but you have also given me incredible support on all my stories. Thanks to everyone for their wonderful support and if you like the story so far, I encourage you to write a short review for it. Thanks and see you next chapter!


	4. The Farm Girl

**Author's note: **I had written this chapter out quite a while ago and then stumbled onto a story by an author named Zid. I Incorporated some of his ideas into this chapter so some parts may seem familiar if you have read his story.

**The Farm Girl**

* * *

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

-Franklin Delano Roosevelt

* * *

Link and Navi stood in the middle of the Hyrule Castle Drawbridge, staring up in awe at the magnificent structure in front of them. The cream colored walls soared high above them as a red line outlined the top part of the structure, where soldiers could be seen parading around the top. A small part of the wall raised higher than the rest, the part above the drawbridge, and on it were five flags. There were four that waved lower than one but Link only recognized one of them. The flag of the Kokiri, a green background with the red symbol in the center. The Kokiri flag, along with the three others Link did not recognize, were all flying under one magnificent looking flag. Link had seen pictures of it before. The flag contained a red bird, wings spread out wide, carrying a golden triangle in its claws. Above the bird stood three triangles, three golden triangles, the triforce. This was the flag of Hyrule. The flag that united all creatures of Hyrule.

"So, this is it?"

"Yup."

"And Princess Zelda is supposed to be somewhere in… there."

"Yup."

"Well… I guess we better get moving."

Link and Navi walked across the busy drawbridge, looking at all the people. They wore strange types of clothing of strange colors. Blue, yellow, red, the only color people in the forest wore was green… and lots of it. Link also marveled at the height of these people. But Hylians were not among the only people there. Creatures Link had only heard about in stories. Goros… or Gorogs… or… yes Gorons, big brown rock eating giants who lived in the mountains. And Zoras, fish like creatures, tall and blueish white, who dwelled in Lake Hylia and the rivers.

And then there was Link. A lone Kokiri in a strange place.

Link, with Navi peering out from under his hat proceeded through the entrance of the walls. They both looked up to see the height of the archway high above them. Link had never seen any building like this. The tallest thing in the forest was Link's house but that was nothing compared to this… this… structure.

They continued their march on through and noticed the wooden walkway gave way to cobblestone, much different from the natural ground Link was used to. He passed a building on his right side that a sign said to be the guard house, and into the center plaza where a fountain with a carving of the triforce accompanied with the firey red loftwing sat situated with water spraying out in all directions, giving off a cool mist to anyone coming two feet to the edge of the fountain. Buildings and people were scattered all around, going about their daily routine. Shopping and tending to stalls, people jogging in and out of buildings. It was amazing, it was fantastic, it was… chaos. Link felt a mixture of wonder and chaos.

How could people with such wonderful things live in such a hurried lifestyle?

"Well Link, I may be a fairy, but even I haven't a clue where the Princess could be in here. You better start asking around."

* * *

"You promise dad? Last time you said you would be right back but you never came for two whole days!" Malon said with anger and disappointment in her voice.

"I know Sweetie but I tell you. I've changed I have. I promise to come right back after delivering the milk." Talon smiled at her. "Now, just stay in the town square by the fountain and I'll be back faster than you can Lon Lon Ranch."

Talon picked up the crate of milk and walked towards the castle, slowly disappearing around the corner. Malon just stood there teary eyed as a tear spilled from her right eye.

She whispered to herself, "Lon Lon Ranch"

* * *

'Where is he? He said he would be back as soon as he dropped off the milk but… oh who are you kidding Malon. He probably fell asleep again. I guess I better go and find somewhere to sleep for the night again.' Malon thought as she let out a sigh. She wanted to go find a place to stay but something kept nagging at her that kept making her think, 'okay, five more minutes, then I'll go.'

Malon sat sown on the edge of the fountain with her head in her hands, watching the crowd go by. Every day, it was the same old same old in the castle town. The hurry and scurry of the busy adults. Cluttered among them, small children, about her age. But every time she asked to play with them, it was the same reply.

"Why would we want to play with a girl who lives outside of the castle? All you know how to do is milk cows and ride on horses all day long. That doesn't sound like fun to me."

Malon used to get upset and irritated, and always resulting in her crying quietly to herself, but she had become used to it now and hardly ever bothered to ask any more. Oh what she wouldn't do for just one friend. Just one person who accepted her for who she was.

Malon continued to gaze around at the crowd, humming and observing the usual commotion of the everyday life. Hylians trying to buy buy buy, Gorons selling hot spring water from the mountains, zoras selling their rare fishing commodities, children her age running around, playing tag and other games, a boy in green she had never seen before asking adults questions, stall owners-

The girl gasps.

What she saw shocks her. Not just her but a large majority of the people in the market are staring and pointing at the one who just arrived. A boy in green, with a pointy hat running around the market, asking questions to people. He turned just a bit and Malon gave out another gasp as she noticed a tiny ball of light with arms and legs flying behind the boy. She continued to watch this strange boy

He slowly made his way around the market, stopping at a group of people to ask something.

"Excuse me sir, do you know where Princess Zelda is?"

Did he just say Princess Zelda? Malon started giggling a bit as she continued to observe and eavesdrop on his conversation.

"Miss, do you know where the princess is?"

"Stop it child! You are distracting me!"

Malon couldn't help but start laughing at this ridiculous question. Although she felt bad for how the people treated him, she just couldn't help but laugh at him.

"Sir do-"

"Go away!"

"Misses, can you-"

"No!"

He wondered over to an elderly looking lady asking the same question.

"Do you know where Princess Zelda is?"

"What? What did you say sonny?"

"Princess Zelda."

"Picking melons? I'm sorry sonny, I have never picked a melon before."

"No no. I said Princess the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda!"

"Missing a cartoon? No young lad. I've read a cartoon before."

"Oh never mind."

The boy searched the crowd for another person to ask the nagging question to, all the while, Malon just kept laughing.

"Excu-"

"What boy, what is it? Can't you see I'm dancing with someone who is more beautiful than Princess Zelda?"

"Wait, you are Princess Zelda?!"

"Yes boy she is. Now leave us alone."

"But I need to-"

"Shoo boy! Be gone with yah. I'm sorry darling. This boy sure is a persistent one."

"Yes he is love."

Link almost gave up but then, something caught his eye, or someone. A girl a few feet away from him at the fountain, laughing her head off. Link slowly approached the girl.

"What is she laughing at Navi?"

"I don't know. Go ask."

Link slowly approached the laughing girl with the firey red hair. She wore a white dress with a blue design at the brim and arm holes of it. She also had a yellow bandanna tied around her neck and had ocean blue eyes.

"Excuse me but… what's so funny?" Link asked in a timid voice.

"Oh, hee hee, its nothing, hee hee, nothing." Malon answered in her high voice in between her outbursts of laughter.

"But what were you laughing at? Something must have made you laugh that hard?"

"Okay fine. I was laughing at… at…" Malon bit her lip as she now realized how mean her action had been. "at… you."

"Me!?"

"I wasn't trying to be mean but you were asking a funny question."

"What do you mean by funny?" Link asked totally dumbfounded.

"Well, everyone knows that the Princess lives in the castle and it is just silly to go around asking where she lives." Malon answered sweetly with a smile.

"Sorry, I have never been here before and-"

"What!? You've never been to Hyrule Castle? But every… wait." Malon examined him very closely. "You're not from around here are you?"

Link opened his mouth to answer the question but Malon quickly interjected.

"Wait don't tell me. Green clothes… brown boots… a strange hat with… Oh my goddesses, is that a fairy? Ohh… that means you're a fairy boy from the forest! A… Kokiri! I didn't think I would ever be able to see one." A question popped up in her mind. "But if you're a Kokiri then… shouldn't you not be able to leave the forest? Or is that just a rumor that people spread?"

"Uhhh."

Kokiris are said to die once they leave the forest but he and Navi both escaped unharmed. Did it have something to do with the Great Deku Tree… dying?

"Well, I guess it is a rumor because you're here and alive!" A ton of other questions popped up in her head. "Is it true that Kokiri will stay young forever and never grow up?"

"Wait, I'll never grow up?"

"Yeah, didn't you know that?" Malon just smiled at him. "Sorry, I got carried away. I'm Malon. My daddy owns Lon Lon Ranch. Have you been there before? Oh sorry, I forgot to ask. What's your name?" Malon looked at him with her blue eyes.

"Link" he peeped out.

"Hmm, Link… I like Fairy Boy. Can I call you that?" Before Link could answer, Malon spoke out again. "Fairy Boy it is! And who is your fairy?"

"Oh… her name is Navi. We just became each other's partner."

Malon looked at the small fairy, smiled and waved.

"So why did you come to Hyrule Castle? Oh wait that's right. You wanted to see Princess Zelda didn't you tee hee? Well, she is over in that big castle over there," Malon pointed to the white castle a little bit away from them. "My Daddy went over there to deliver milk but," Malon frowned, "he hasn't come back." Malon stared at the ground for a bit then put her smile back on her face. "Fairy Boy, since you're going over to the castle, could you look for my dad for me?"

"Sure Malon except I have one question. What's a Dad?"

"I think he fell asleep like usual and- you don't know what a dad is?"

Malon thought for a second. _How does he not know what a Dad is? Every Hylian is born from one… Oh, but he is a Kokiri and all Kokiri are born from that tree… the um… oh yeah! The Great Deku Tree. Hmm I wonder how that works out._

"Um Malon?"

Malon lost in thought, "Hmm… Oh Fairy Boy sorry about that. Well, how do I explain what a dad is? Well… he is sort of like… like… like your Great Deku Tree. He watches over you and protects you except he is an actual person that lives with you."

"Oh… okay, I think I get it. I'd be happy to look for him."

"Thanks Fairy Boy!" Malon came and gave Link a small hug, the first one he had ever received.

Malon let go of Link and he turned his back and started running towards the castle with the sunset shining upon his back.

Malon frowned. _Just like that, another kid come and gone to leave me all alone. Maybe I shouldn't have been so nice. Maybe I shouldn't have… Ew, did I really just hug him? But boys have cooties! So… do I have cooties now too? Are cooties even real? Oh well, he can't give me cooties. He is my first friend! My first real, talking friend! But… now he is gone and… and… maybe I'll never see him again._ Malon sighed. _Maybe I'll never be able-_

"Hey Malon." Malon immediately popped her head up a bit surprised to hear her name being called but when she saw Link, she smiled again.

"Oh, hi again Fairy Boy."

"Well, I got lost and you seem to know where to go so…do… do… do you want to come with me?"

Malon's heart stopped. No one, except for her dad, had ever asked for her company and now some stranger who she just met was asking her to join him.

"Sure!" Malon said with a big smile on her face as she jumped off the edge of the fountain.

"Well, you seem to know where to go so you can lead the way."

Malon walked in front of Link and smiled a she turned to look at him.

"See if you can stay caught up! Tee hee" Malon turned her back and started running towards the castle, smiling and laughing, while Link ran as fast as he could to stay up with her.

'Malon sure is fast for a girl' Link thought while trying to catch up to her

"Last one to the tree is the rotten egg!" Malon shouted behind her as she quickened her pace.

Link ran as fast as he could and slowly and slowly started catching up but the inevitable happened. Malon already reached the tree.

Malon turned around as her dress twirled with her. "Haha, I win, I win."

"No fair, you got a head start!" Link complained as he made it to the tree.

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Did to!"

"Did not!"

"Fine then Fairy Boy, I guess I didn't get a head start." Malon smile grew twice as large as Link slowly realized what just occurred.

"No-I-I-I didn't mean to s-"

"No Fairy Boy, you just said I didn't get a head start so I guess I win, fair and square."

'Ugh girls' Link thought.

"Hee hee, I like you Fairy Boy."

Malon realized afterwards what had slipped past her mouth. She barely knew Link but she was acting as if they were now boyfriend and girlfriend. How would Link react? Would she leave her and never talk to her again?

"Thanks! I like you too!"

_Or maybe he doesn't know the other meanings of like._

"Come on Fairy Boy. Let's go see Princess Zelda and find my dad."

Malon grabbed Link's hand and ran towards the castle, dragging Link behind her.

* * *

"But you have to understand sir, we really need to see the Princess!" Link pleaded to the guard at the gate.

"I'm sorry but I am under strict orders to not allow anyone into the castle grounds unless they have business with the Royal Family."

"But sir you don't understand. Hyrule is-"

"Hyrule could get taken over tomorrow and you may be the only ones to know but I don't care what you have to say."

"Well, my Dad owns Lon Lon Ranch," Malon looked at Link for support, "a-and he went to deliver milk so he is over there and-"

"I'm sorry little lady but no one can pass. Now go back to town otherwise I'll have to have someone escort you out of here."

Link and Malon both grunted and walked back around the corner.

"This is so frustrating." Malon said while kicking a nearby rock.

"Relax Malon. We'll find a way. There is always a way."

Malon walked over to the ridge and tried sitting down when, "Ow! My hair!"

Link immediately looked at Malon who was in a half squatting position toying with her hair that had been caught in the vines just above.

"Malon, you found a way!"

"Ouch, what do you, ow, mean by that." She struggled to say a she attempted to pull her hair free from the vines, finally succeeding and stepping back to where Link stood.

"Look." Link said as he started approaching the entanglement that had previously trapped Malon. "We can climb up these and sneak our way into the castle!" Link said as he tugged on the vines.

"I don't know Link. We could get into a lot of trouble."

"Let me handle that. Oh come one Malon… don't you trust me?"

Link looked directly into Malon's eyes. Instead of the fear she had just felt, his eyes gave her a warm feeling. A feeling of hope, comfort, safety.

"Oh… okay Link but you gotta promise nothing bad will happen."

"I pinky promise."

Malon and Link wrapped their pinkies together briefly, signaling trust and giving Malon a safe feeling in her stomach. A feeling that where ever Link goes, she would be safe.

Link started climbing up the vines first and reaching the top, he turned around and offered his hand to Malon who was still climbing up. Malon looked up and smiled as she accepted his offer.

_Could he really be the friend I have been looking for? He is so nice and caring and… oh how I hope he is_

"Okay, so now that we are up here, what next?"

Malon looked around, admiring how the light from the sunset hit the castle, painting it in wonderful colors of orange and blue. She could see a myriad of guards posted around the front yard.

"I don't think this is going to be easy, Link. There are guards everywhere out here!"

Link looked in the general direction as Malon and observed the grounds carefully, mapping out a plan.

"Alright Malon, look carefully at the guards. They are all facing a one direction and so far, a single one hasn't moved. Follow me closely because… I think I might have a plan."

"Whoa whoa whoa Fairy Boy, hold on a second. Think? You said that we would be okay and you said that we won't get caught and you said-"

"Malon, I did say all those things and," Link looked directly into Malon's eye, "if you still trust me, then you have nothing to worry about."

Malon and Link stared into each other's eyes.

_His eyes. Why is it that every time I look into them, I get this weird, warm feeling inside me_

"O-Okay Fairy Boy… I trust you."

Link smiled and started walking towards the gate.

"Deku scrubs." Link cursed

"What is it?"

"Look, a guard is at the other side of the gate."

"So…" Malon started asking, really confused on how this would delay their plans.

"So now we can't walk across the gate to the other side!"

Malon tried so hard no to burst out laughing.

"Hee, that was your hee hee, grand plan?" Malon giggled. "The Great Fair Boy's Grand plan to sneak into the castle, just walk in through the front gates?" Malon couldn't help herself anymore and burst out laughing.

"That was-"

Malon just kept laughing.

"It really wasn't-"

Malon continued laughing, so hard that she now had tears running down her face.

"Oh Fairy Boy, hee hee hee, you sure do know how to make someone laugh!" Malon said wiping the tears off herself.

"But, Malon, that really wasn't my plan!" Link pleaded.

"I think it was."

"Well, it was not."

"Was to!"

"Was not!"

"Was to!"

"Was not!"

"Was to!"

"Was not!"

"Was not!"

"Was to!"

"Good Fairy Boy, so you agree?" Malon giggled as she watched Link's reaction to what just happened.

"Wait, did I… Hey, that's not fair!"

"Whatever Fairy Boy. You just can't help but agree with whatever I say." She smiled to herself.

"Oh-Oh- whatever. Let's just keep moving." Link stuck his tongue out with Malon giving the same reaction back.

"I guess our only option is to jump off but-"

"Sorry sorry but, I don't think that is an option."

Link looked at Malon with a confused face. "Why?"

"Me and heights…" Malon bit her lip, "don't… really get along well."

"Malon, you're scared of heights?"

"Don't tease me about it, okay." Turning her head away in shame.

"Hey Malon, look at me." Link put his hand on her shoulder and slowly twisted her back around. "It's okay to be scared of something. Everyone is!"

"But Link," (She actually used his real name!) "You never seem to be scared of anything! You weren't sacred to enter a town you've never been in before, you're not scared to sneak past all of these guards into Hyrule's most closely guarded building… And you're not even scared to jump off a silly cliff." Malon stared down at the ground, embarrassed by her confessions.

"But Malon, I was scared. When I walked into the market, I saw so many things I hadn't ever seen before. And so many people I had never met." Link chuckled, "You saw how some of them reacted. They shouted at me! You don't think that I wasn't scared to go ask another person that same question? Or you don't think I wanted to run out of the castle right then and there, and crawl back to the forest? Malon, I was terrified!" Malon looked up at Link, never pausing one second before to think about all of these things. "I read a quote in a book once and I never forgot it. It said, 'The only thing we fear, is fear itself'. Malon, don't fear your fears, instead look up at them, glare at it, and conquer it. Because Malon, when you conquer your fears, you get this great feeling, one that can never be replaced by any other… It makes you feel so good and makes you think you can do anything." Link looked at the cliff, then back at Malon. "Malon, I have only just met you, and I know the girl standing in front of me can do anything she sets her heart out to do."

Malon struggled to keep a tear from shedding out of her eye. "Okay, Link. If you think I can-"

"I don't think you can, I know you can." Link said putting strong emphasis on his words.

"Well then Fairy Boy… what are you waiting for?" Malon gave Link a small punch in the shoulder, which Link knew meant, thank you.

Link and Malon walked up to the edge and looked down. "Are you ready Malon?"

Malon gave a small nod of the head.

"Alright Malon, before we go, let me tell you something a Deku Scrub told me back in the forest. If you roll as you hit the ground, it will absorb some of the shock and make a smoother landing."

Malon just looked at the cliff with terrified eyes.

"Okay Malon, ready?"

"Um… sure."

"Okay, on three. One… Two… Three!"

Malon leaped off the ledge and for just that one second, she truly felt she could do anything.

* * *

**Author's note:** So, Malon and Link will be together from here on out, a common question I kept getting. And yes, she will accompany Link into dungeons as well because she is... well, maybe I'll save that for later :)


End file.
